Book Trailers – Yes, or No?

When I published my first book in 2011, book trailers were all the rage. They were relatively new at the time and came in all shapes and sizes. Then, it seemed they went out of style. I remember hearing, “No one does those anymore.”

I did my own research and found, as is often the case with “intelligence,” the first report was inaccurate. Book trailers are still alive and well, which didn’t surprise me due to the growth in video popularity across all platforms. Armed with this current marketing news, I set forth to create a trailer for my latest book.

I share this story with blog readers, many of whom are writers, because I wished I’d read a post like this before I started. I tried a variety of software programs recommended online, but none clicked with my non-tech brain. Then, a writer friend recommended I try Microsoft’s built-in Video Editor program. Why not? So, I headed to my best source for learning things like this, Kevin Stratvert, followed his directions, and created a decent trailer.

I say “decent” because one of Microsoft Video Editor’s shortcomings is the lack of transitions between video frames. The harsh transitions didn’t work for this project, so I consulted Kevin’s YouTube channel again to watch 5 BEST FREE Video Editors video. I now had small moving images created from my first effort and applied them to the OpenShot video editing program which allowed me to create the needed transitions. Yay!

I also decided at this point that the free music clip I’d included from the Microsoft Video Editor program wasn’t exactly what I wanted. I purchased a new clip from AudioJungle for a reasonable price, and I was happy with the outcome. I mention this because I’m glad I didn’t settle with what was easier and sort of worked the first time around. Here is the result for the Believing In Horses Out West book trailer. My answer is to the title question is – yes to book trailers.  

Author: valerieormond

Writer - please also visit my Believing In Horses website to learn more about my books at http://believinginhorses.com/

6 thoughts on “Book Trailers – Yes, or No?”

  1. lauriewoodwardauthor – California – When people create they go to a magical place that is uniquely theirs. I blog about teaching children peace, writing, and reveling in the creative process.
    lauriewoodwardauthor says:

    I liked your book trailer. It isn’t too wordy but draws me in. I’ve created several too but finding places to showcase them? A challenge. Still it’s a fun exercise.

    1. Hi Laurie, thank you, and I’ve included my book trailer on my website, my Goodreads profile, my YouTube channel, on my personal Facebook profile, and in some Facebook Groups that may have an interest. And of course, in this post, which reposts to a Twitter thread. I didn’t do it all at once because I thought that would be overkill. 🙂 I see you work with children, and I’ve found that book trailers are a great way to catch attention during school visits. Nice to “meet” you and am following now.

      1. lauriewoodwardauthor – California – When people create they go to a magical place that is uniquely theirs. I blog about teaching children peace, writing, and reveling in the creative process.
        lauriewoodwardauthor says:

        Nice to meet you too! Thanks for the tips. 🙂

  2. Bette A. Stevens – Central Maine, USA – "I'm a writer inspired by nature and human nature!" ~ Bette A. Stevens Bette A. Stevens is a retired teacher, a wife, mother of two and grandmother of five. Stevens lives in Central Maine with her husband on their 37-acre farmstead where she enjoys writing, gardening, walking and reveling in the beauty of nature. She advocates for children and childhood literacy and for monarch butterflies, an endangered species. Stevens’s children’s activity book, THE TANGRAM ZOO and WORD PUZZLES TOO! was first published in 1997 by Windswept House Publishing, Mt. Desert, ME; a second edition was self-published by the author in 2012. AMAZING MATILDA , Stevens's second children's book, self-published in 2012, won a 2013 Purple Dragonfly Book Award (Honorable Mention for Excellence in Children's Literature - Ages 6 and older category) and placed #9 on The 2013 Gittle List TOP 10for Self-published Children’s Picture Books. Stevens has written articles for ECHOES, The Northern Maine Journal of Rural Culture based in Caribou, Maine. In 2013, the author published her first book for the YA/Adult audience: PURE TRASH, a short story of a boy growing up in rural New England in a family whose poverty and alcoholism mark him as a target for bullying by young and old alike. This short story is a prequel to Stevens's debut novel, DOG BONE SOUP, A Boomer’s Journey released in January of 2015.
    Bette A. Stevens says:

    Fantastic book trailer! Thanks for all the tips and resource links, Valerie!

    1. Thank you, Bette, and your website is lovely! Maine is one of the two states I have not yet visited, and I am fixing that later this year. And now I know, thanks to you, that it is “The Pine Tree State.” Following you now.

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